Does the use of coercion improve the outcome of patients with severe mental disorders?

Abstract

Coercive measures have always been part of the psychiatric armamentarium; however, the clinical and ethical dilemma between the use of a “therapeutic” coercion and the loss of patients’ dignity is one of the most controversial issues in mental health practice. According to International guidelines, coercive measures should be adopted only when all the other less restrictive approaches failed and should be considered as the “last restrictive alternative”. Although coercive measures are frequently used to manage patients’ aggressive behaviors and self-harm, refusal of medication and impulsivity, their effect on patients’ outcome is not clear. In fact, the use of coercive measures can reduce patients’ aggressiveness and improve psychiatric symptoms, but can also have a negative impact in terms of therapeutic relationship, engagement with mental health services and self-stigma, arising negative feelings on patients and on mental health professionals. International attempts have been made to improve and harmonize the use of involuntary treatments. Recommendations of good clinical practice on the use of coercive involountary treatments and forced medications have been proposed by the EUNOMIA consortium, and the effect of coercion on the outcome of patients with severe mental disorders have been described. Results of this study will be reported as well as lessons learnt from other international experiences.

Disclosure of interest

The author has not supplied his declaration of competing interest.